Display structure and method of forming the same



Aug. 31, 1965 H. K. STOESSEL DISPLAY STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF FORMING THESAME Filed Feb. 21, 1963 FIG.

INVENTOR. mewzr Ill! :mssaz United States Patent 3,203,125 DISPLAYSTRUCTURE AND METHOD 0F FORMING THE SAME Henry Kurt Stoessel, 21 W. 45thSt., New York, N.Y. Filed Feb. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 260,264 1 Claim. (Ci.40-1241) This invention relates to a display device, and moreparticularly to a three dimensional advertising display device andmethod of making the same. Still more particularly, this inventionrelates to an advertising display device which may be shipped in flat orsubstantially twodimensional condition, and may be rapidly assembled bythe user, without the use of tools to a rigid, free-standing andattractive display.

Still more particularly, this invention relates to a device of the classdescribed which is highly economical to manufacture, such economiesresulting in part from the fact that each display unit is fabricatedfrom a single sheet of cardboard or like material, and no part orportion of the sheet is wasted. Further economies result from the factthat the forming operations which enable the sheet to be assembled bythe user into a completed, free-standing display, may be carried out ina single and simultaneous punching and scoring step.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel displaydevice and method of making the same. A further object of the inventionis to provide a novel display device which may be shipped in flatcondition and readily assembled to form a free-standing, threedimensional structure.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel,free-standing advertising display made from sheeted cardboard or thelike, characterized by the fact that no portion or segment of the sheetis wasted.

The device and method of the invention are predicated upon the blankingor severing from a cardboard sheet or the like, of a form or formshaving inclined outline portions. Without limitation but as examples ofsuch forms there may be named ovals, diamonds, triangles or the like.The sheet or matrix is folded along a line which intersects the apertureremaining after the removal of the blanked forms, the forms beingpreserved in unfolded condition. Notches or slits are formed in thematrix sheet in communication with the apertures, preferably in the sameoperation in which the forms are blanked out. The forms are thereafterreinserted in the apertures from which they have been blanked, thenotches or slits frictionally engaging the forms.

Whereas the outline of the apertures initially exactly conformed to thesize of the forms blanked therefrom, the procedure of folding causes aforeshortening of the apertures. A result of such foreshortening is tobring narrower portions of the walls of the aperture closer to the foldline. Thus, the outline portions of the walls of the aperture will nolonger coincide with the outer periphery of the form blanked from thesheet, and thus, with the form centered above the aperture, the formwill be wider at all points except the fold line than the aperture. As aresult, the form may be bowed slightly and inserted within notchesformed during the blanking process, whereupon the form will be fixedlyseated within the notches, the form at the same time functioning toprevent any further flexing along the fold line.

More clearly to illustrate the apparatus, reference will now be made tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which FIGURE 1 is aplan view of a sheet in accordance with the invention, from which formshave been blanked;

FIGURE 2 is a top view showing the device after assembly when standingon a horizontal surface;

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FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an erecteddisplay device in accordance with the invention.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a sheet 10 which may be of ordinarycardboard, oak tag or the like. The sheet is processed preferably bydisposing the same beneath a blanking die, which die functions to severfrom the sheet a series of geometric figures, such as ovals A, squaresB, circles C, although it should be understood that the invention is notlimited to the stated figures. The die likewise functions to score thesheet 10 along transverse fold lines a, b, c. It will be noted that thecore lines a, b, c, which are formed partially through the thickness ofthe sheet, extend the entire Width of the sheet except for the blankedout or severed geometric figures A, B, C. The blanking die is alsoeffective to form on the sheet 10 a plurality of spaced apart slits 11,which slits extend outwardly into the sheet from the edge 12 of theapertures.

In the course of the blanking, transverse score lines may similarly beformed, as at 13, 14, the score lines being disposed entirely across thesheet and between rows of blanked out apertures.

The sheet, formed as described, may then be shipped in the fiatcondition, to users of the device for assembly on the site.

The forms A, B, C are preferably imprinted with any desired advertisingindicia or the like before the sheet is blanked out.

In the sheet illustrated in FIGURE 1, three types of forms are shown,notably ovals, squares or diamonds, and circles. However, it will beunderstood that normally a single sheet will contain only one form offigure. While there is no limit to the shapes of forms suitable for usewith the device, the sole requirement in common for such forms is that aportion at least of the outline of the forms be inclined with respect tothe fold lines. The importance of such requirement will be understoodfrom the ensuing description.

The device is assembled into a free-standing unit by the followingprocedure:

The forms, which may in the course of mailing remain within theapertures, i.e. by the provision of small unpunched areas of adhesionbetween the forms and the matrix sheet, are removed from the sheets. Thesheet is next folded transversely along the score lines a, b, c, andalso along the score lines 13, 14, which latter score lines are on thereverse face of the sheet from the lines a, b, c, to form an accordionedsheet structure. After folding, the forms A, B, C are flexed slightly toreduce the height dimension thereof, and inserted within the notches 11on the matrix sheet 10. It will be seen that as a result of the foldingoperation along the lines a, b, c, as aforesaid, the apertures definedby the removal of the forms will have been fore-shortened. As a resultof such fore-shortening, upon superimposition of the forms A, B and Cover the corresponding apertures, wider portions of the form are broughtinto registry with narrower portions of the outlines of the apertures.

As an illustration, the breadth of the form A, FIG- URE 1, along dottedline 20, is of course equal to the spacing of slits 11, 11', formed inthe matrix sheet 19 at their junction with form A. The dotted line 21,as shown in FIGURE 1, being closer to the center of the oval is ofcourse longer than the dotted line 20. As shown in FIGURE 3, by foldingthe matrix sheet, the portion of form A represented by longer line 21has been brought into registry with the slits 11', 11', the innermostends of which are spaced a distance equal to line 20. Thus, the marginalportions of form A along line 21 will extend beyond the outline of theaperture and into the slits 11, 11'. As will be further seen from FIGURE3, the

portion of the form at line 20, in the inserted postion of the form, isdisposed from the fold line a greater lateral distance than the slits11', 11.

The forms will thus be maintained securely within the slits or notchesformed in the matrix or sheet and will function both as attractiveadvertising bearing portions of the finished device, and as stiifenersto maintain the sheet against folding in either direction along thescore line intersecting the apertures.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a similar series of forms may be blank inintersecting relation With respect to the fold lines 13 and 14. In suchinstance, it will be evident that the fold lines, contrary to theshowing of FIGURE 1, should not extend across the forms X and Y, butrather, the said forms should be left unsecured, to provide thestiifening influence aforesaid. It will be evident that the forms X andY will be inserted in the apertures left by their removal in the samemanner as forms A, B and C, and thus each fold line of such modifiedstructure would be stiifened.

It will be appreciated that a three dimensional display for advertisingor the like is thus formed with a minimum of waste since every portionof the cardboard sheet is employed. The sheet will normally be firstimprinted with any desired advertising indicia prior to the scoring andseparating steps aforesaid. It will thus be evident that through thesimple expedient of blanking a plurality of forms from a sheet, foldingthe sheet along the fold line which intersects the apertures remainingafter removal of the forms and thereafter inserting the removed forms toa position within the apertures, an attractive, rigid, three dimensionaldisplay device is provided.

If desired, other forms of locking notches beside the slits 11 may beprovided. Preferably the length of the slits or notches shouldcorrespond roughly with the width of the form at the point receivedwithin the notches so that undue canting of the forms after insertionWithin the notches Will be prevented.

Also, slits or notches. may be provided in the forms rather than thesheet, or in both the forms and the sheet.

If desired, a projection may be formed in the form or sheet, a notchremaining in the other member, each of the arrangements serving tomaintain a desired positioning of the forms with respect to the sheets.Where interengagement of the notches of the form and the sheet aredesired, it will be understood that the notches of the form should belocated closer to the fold line than the complemental notches of thesheet.

After thus describing the invention and illustrating its use, what isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A display device comprising a sheet member of cardboard or the like, anaperture formed in said sheet member, the walls defining said aperturebeing relatively Widely spaced apart at a central portion and convergingto both sides of said central portion, said sheet member being folded ona fold line intersecting said central portion of said aperture wherebythe portions of said sheet member to opposite sides of said fold lineare angularly oriented with respect to each other, and a form memberhaving an outline corresponding with the dimension of said aperture inthe fiat condition of said sheet supported in generally centeredposition Within said aperture in spanning position of said fold line, atleast one of said members including cutout portions engaged withportions of said other member to retain said form member in saidaperture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,333 1/24Agar 40-1241 1,737,733 12/ 29 Scherotto 40126 1,802,553 4/31 Dyment40124.1

FOREIGN PATENTS 502,854 12/54 Italy.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

